How do we Vote? How should we?

VOTE?

THERE IS NO DEARTH OF POLLS AND OPINIONS AND COMMENTARIES ON how we might vote in elections at any levels of government. National elections every four years, both at the head of the ballot and down ballot, attract the most attention, and cause the most frustration. How should we determine who to vote for? What are our criteria that can overcome the noise and the tit for tat of the campaigns? 

We can begin by recognizing that we don't actually vote for a candidate. We vote for ourselves, our own values, our own aspirations, our own expectations, our own dignity, our own honor, and for who we are. If we find a candidate that meets most of our crieria, we fill in the proverbial oval against his or her name on the ballot.

When I go to the voting booth, I vote for my values, not for a candidate, by asking these six questions.

I value being humble in my interactions. Which candidate exhibits more humility than arrogance?

I value being accountable for my actions. Which candidate exhibits more accountability than unaccountability?

I value speaking the truth. Which candidates exhibits more truthfulness than being untruthful?

I value being fair in exercising justice. Which candidate exhibits more fairness than partiality in exercising social and economic justice in the broadest sense?

I value being decent in speech and action. Which candidate exhibits more decency than obscenity in speech and action?

I value obedience to the rule of law. Which candidate exhibits obedience to the law more often than skirting the law?

Hmm. There seems to be a problem here. What about the cost of living, inflation, jobs, immigration, abortion, and what have you? In their esseence these are all different aspects of fairness in economic and social justice, at any level - local, national and international. Overall exercise of fairness in social and economic justice will lead to a rational and healthy sustainable balance in all these aspects in soicety at large. All I need to ask for is the exercise of fairness in justice.

The bottom line is this. When I mark my ballot, I vote for my values. I vote for whichever candidate personifies my values, or at least personifies more of them than other candidates. 

This is important. My vote defines me. I aspire to be defined by my support of my values, not by negelct of my values. 

Maybe all voters want to be defined by their values, and vote in support of their values. All power to them!

[Reference: A Caliph for Our Time: How Abu Bakr's Inaugural Address can Transform Leadership Today]